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6 Facts About Mercedes-Benz You May Not Know

Mercedes-Benz has a long history that all started in 1925 when two companies came together to become one powerhouse. The Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft company founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Benz & Cie created by Carl Benz merged to become Mercedes-Benz in the summer of 1926. Here is some more information about the history behind Mercedes-Benz.

The First Car

In 1886 Carl Benz received a patent for a three-wheeled vehicle they called the Motorwagen. This self-propelled vehicle has a rear-mounted single-cylinder engine and changed the way people got from one place to another. It was the inspiration for many other innovations. About the same time, Daimler applied for a patent for his combustion motor.

The First Engine

In 1882 Daimler and Maybach worked on designing a four-stroke engine, and by 1883 the first high-speed test engine was ready to go. This delivered engine speeds up 600 rpm, and easily surpassed previous engines. Using this as their basic concept, the two got to work and developed the now well-known Daimler single-cylinder engine which became known as the “Grandfather Clock.” This engine was a key component in the history of automobile production.

The Daimler Riding Car

Using the Grandfather Clock as their template, Daimler and Maybach worked on a smaller single-cylinder engine that they used to power a bicycle-style carriage. This had a wooden frame and used the engine for power. Known as the “Daimler Reitwagen,” it was essentially a motorcycle. They received a patent for this in August of 1885.

The Mercedes Star

17 years before the merger of the two companies, Benz & Cie created a logo with the Benz name surrounded by a laurel wreath. They submitted the paperwork to have it registered as a trademark, but at the same time Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft had applied for legal protection for the Mercedes-Benz star. Years later in 1925, the two companies both registered their shared logo using the Daimler Mercedes star inside the Benz laurel wreath.

The First Auto Race

The very first recorded automobile race took place in Paris in 1894. The course ran from Paris to Rouen and included forty-six vehicles, and the top three cars had Daimler engines. This was the beginning of what would become a company known for their power and high-speed performance engines and vehicles.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The roots of the S-Class model come from the start of the Mercedes brand and date back to 1903. Wilhelm Maybach, the chief designer for Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, started with the Mercedes Simplex 60 hp. This vehicle was ahead of its time in both luxury and power. The designers and engineers used the Simplex 60 hp as motivation to create revolutionary vehicles including the S-Class. The vehicle officially debuted in 1972 with the W116 and quickly became the manufacturer’s flagship vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz has a reputation for luxury vehicles with powerful engines. It all started with two innovative people who could see something different in the future for transporting people from one place to another, and when they finally came together, their vehicles made history.